This invention relates to agricultural combine harvesters and the devices used to cover the grain tanks of such combines.
It is known to provide agricultural combine harvesters with a cover that extends over the open top of the vehicle""s grain tank. Such covers typically include a waterproof fabric that prevents rainwater and other debris from contacting the grain that accumulates in the grain tank. Many such grain tank covers are cumbersome structures which require considerable time and the use of tools to assemble and disassemble. Other covers include fabric that is ill fitted and allows undesirable pools of water to collect in pocket areas between portions of the support frame. This accumulated water can eventually leak through the fabric and contact the grain in the grain tank. Some prior art grain tank covers must be disassembled and removed from the top of the combine to provide clearance for the combine to pass beneath obstructions such as when passing through a barn door. The assembly and disassembly process for such covers can be undesirably complex and time consuming, subjects the fabric to possible tears, and allows hardware to be misplaced or lost.
The present invention provides a grain tank cover for a vehicle such as an agricultural combine harvester, wherein the cover includes a tarp and a support structure for supporting the tarp across the otherwise open top of the grain tank. The tarp is secured by straps and buckles to grain tank extensions that extend up from the top edges of the grain tank. The support structure includes legs that are coupled to the grain tank. The top ends of the legs are operatively coupled to each other by way of a frame structure near the top of the support structure. A dome structure is formed by flexible rods that extend across and are carried by the frame structure. The dome structure helps prevent rainwater from accumulating on the tarp.
The tarp and support structure can be shifted between a raised position during operation of the vehicle and a lowered position within the empty grain tank when the vehicle must pass beneath overhead obstructions during vehicle transport. The lower ends of a first set of legs are pivotally coupled with the combine vehicle. The first set of legs remain pivotally coupled to the combine via bolts or pins as the support structure pivots between the raised and lowered positions. The top portion of the first legs are connected as by bolts or pins to brackets which are fixed to the frame structure. The frame structure thereby remains fixed with the first legs as the first legs pivot between the raised and lowered positions.
The support structure also includes a set of second legs. The lower portions of the second set of legs are coupled via quick connection pins to brackets operatively mounted to the combine vehicle. The upper portions of the second set of legs are coupled via quick connection pins to brackets fixed to the frame structure. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second set of legs are detachable from the frame structure and from the combine vehicle to allow the support structure to be changed from the raised position to the lowered position. When detached from the frame structure and vehicle, the second set of legs can be placed within the grain tank, and then the first set of legs and frame structure fixed thereto can be swung downwardly into the grain tank.
According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention the lower ends of the second legs remain pivotally attached to the vehicle, and can pivot to lowered positions within the grain tank after the upper ends of the second legs are detached from the frame structure.
The tarp shifts downwardly under its own weight as the support structure is lowered, and therefore the support structure and tarp are positioned within the grain tank when in the lowered position.
When the operator wishes to raise the support structure and tarp to their raised position he can do so by stepping into the grain tank and standing in a zippered opening in the tarp. The operator lifts the frame structure, which acts to pivot the first set of legs and frame structure about the pin connections to the grain tank. The operator then grabs one of the second legs and attaches it via a quick connection pin to its respective bracket fixed to the frame structure. While grasping this second leg the operator can then place the lower end of that second leg in the proper position and insert the quick connection pin that holds the lower end in place. When raised in this manner, the frame structure, first set of legs, and the second leg thereby form a rigid structure that bears its own weight and the weight of the tarp, and the operator can use both hands to grab the remaining second legs. The operator can then use both hands to attach the upper portions of the remaining second legs to the frame structure and the lower portions of said legs to the walls of the grain tank. When the support structure is fully assembled the operator can then exit the grain tank through the zippered opening in the tarp, close the zipper and resume harvesting operations.
The present invention thereby provides a grain tank cover that is easy to assemble atop the grain tank, and can be readily collapsed to a lowered position without the use of tools. When in the lowered position the entire grain tank cover according to the preferred embodiment can be positioned within the grain tank. The extensions can then be shifted down into the grain tank in conventional fashion. In the lowered configuration the grain tank cover is positioned beneath the top edge of the grain tank, thereby effectively lowering the height of the vehicle and providing greater clearance for the vehicle to pass beneath obstructions such as low overhead doors during vehicle transport and storage. The grain tank cover can then easily be shifted back to its raised position by an operator without the use of tools.